Game trap



Sept 1, 1931.

A. E. KINSLEY GAME TRAP Filed June 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 70 7 J v 1 .9 7? I 3 7 INVENTOR 191.19% 51.8)? 4 4 1 2 @Mia Sept. 1, 1931.

A. E. KIN$LEY GAME TRAP Filed June 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HL BERT 7 I ORNEY Patenteclsept. 1, 1931 PATENT' OFFICE ALBERT E. KINSLEY, F ONEIDA, NEW YORK GAME Application filed June 20,

This invention relates to game traps, and more particularly to that type of game trap which has come to be known in the art as a killer trap. I I One of the objects of the invention is to provide a trap which will operate more offectively to catch and hold in caught condition fur bearing animals than has obtained with traps of this character as hitherto con- 16 structed. M

' Another object of the invention is'to provide a trap havingprimary jaw members and an independently operable secondary gripper member of novel construction, 1 adapted to cO-operate with the other parts of the trap to hold fast the trapped animal and to kill or hasten the death of the latter when once caught;

Other objects and aims of the invention more orlessspecific than those above referred to, willbe in part obvious, and in part pointed out, in the course of the following description of the elements, combinations, arrangements of parts and applications of principles, constituting the invention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated in the appended claims. 7 a V p v In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferred form of embodiment f my invention,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved trap, showing the latter in closed position; 7 7

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of said trap Figure 3 is an end the trap;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the trap, showing the relative positions of the. parts when the trap is in set position; and

, Figure 5 is a hori zontal sectional view taken on the line5w5 of Figured.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts throughout the several views thereof, the reference numeral 1 denotes the base or foundation of the trap having the upstanding, apertured, flanged portions 2 and 3, which receive the pintles 4 of the primary rear elevational View of 1929. Serial No. 372,274.

jaw members 5 and 6. The base 1 is provided with a cross-piece 7, to which is pivoted at 8, an'arm 9, the latter carrying the pan 10 of the trap. The arm 9 is provided with the usual shoulder or catch 11, which co-operates with the end of a detent 12, to hold the trap in set position, said detent being pivoted at 13, to the upper end of an upstanding flange 14 formed on the crosspiece 7. The trap thus far described is of usual construction.

The reference numeral 15 denotes an actuating member for the primary jaws 5 and 6 of the trap. This actuating member, which is preferably formed of a strip of sheet metal, is provided with the side flanges 16, said side flanges having the forward extension 17 and 18, adapted to receive the pivot pin 19. This pivot pin 19 is, in the present instance, encircled by two coil springs 20 and 21. Free ends 22 and 23 of the springs 20 and 21 extend through an aperture 24 formed in the base member 1, the end of said springs being preferably hook shaped as at 25, as clearly shown in Figure 5, whereby the ends of said spring will not become easily displaced from the positions shown.

The base plate 1 is preferably formed with a hollow depression 26 to receive the springs 20 and 21. The opposite ends of the springs 20 and 21 extend underneath the actuating member 15 and engage the forward end thereof at the point 27 behind the point of pivotal support provided by the pin 19. Thus the action of the springs 20 and 21 is to swing such actuating member 15 upwardly. The springs 20 and 21 are, of course, put under tension during the assembling operation of the trap. The actuating member 15 is provided with an aperture 28 ofsufflcient size to receive the legs 29 and 30 of the primary jaw members 5 and 6, and also the flange 8 of the base so that when said actuating member swings upwardly, said upward swinging movement will close the primary jaws, as is usual in trap construction.

The reference numeral 31 denotes an auxiliary gripper member, preferably formed of a strip of sheet metal bowed out as shown, the bowed part being of sufficient size to emter. Theactuat'ing member 15 is provided with an elongated aperture or slot adapted to receive the legs 32 and 33 of the auxiliary jaw member 31. The legs" 32"and'33 "are'ex tended rearwardly of the pivot pin 34 to provide what may be termed a tail piece 36."

Mounted upon the pivot" pin .34 :is ancoil spring 37, the free ends of which extend throi'igh apertures39 and 400i theauxiliary member 15 and "engagejwith thelower surface thereon The intermediate portion of this' coil spring, which-"is preferably bowed out, as shown at 41', engages with the'legs 32 and- 33 *of Ftheauxiliary member 1 31, the

the trap.

Securedto" a foundation "1 is'a 1ate 42,

said plate extending rearwardly; as clearly shown'in- Figures 2 and 5 of the-drawings.

Having thus described the construotionand 1 operatiorrof "this embodiment of my invention; the operation thereotmay now be: un-

derstood-i Assuming *the parts to be in the position shown in Figures f1; 2 dg fith drawings, the auxiliary aw member 31 3 1s V first" swung upwardly and rearwardly; upon its pivotal support u-pon the auxiliary mem ber 15' and against' thetension of the spring 37." Theactuati'ng m'ember' '15 is' thereupon swungdownwardl-y to permit the aws 5' and; our move to their openpositi'ons, whereupon oneof "said jaws is lo'ckedby means of aide tent 12, as usual in trapsof this character.

I Thedownward movement of the actuating IHQIIlbBI 15 engages the-free end 43 0f thetail piece '36 with tli'eplate42; Inasmucha's-theactuating member 15- is held in this downward positio-nby-nieans ofthe locked jawfi, the auxiliary 'membbr'31 will also be locked, asshow'n in Figures-I5 and-6, by I reason ofth-e engagement ofend43 of the tail piece with the plate" 42.

l/Vhen the trap is sprun'grpermitting the primary actuating member 15 to swing I up-- 7 escape'the plateL-Q, whereuponthe spring 37" will become operativetoswingthe auxiliary awmem-ber 31-upon' its-point of pivotal support upon the primary aw" actuating member. This auxiliary member will then swing upwardly and it will be noted thatbyfr'eason oflthe'fact that it is mounted uponthe''- actuatingmember, it will have a coinpoundswinging, movement due to the fact'tliatit's'pointof pivotalsupportis moved By means of this construction'the suffering of trapped animals is greatly alleviated, due to .therfact that the animal cannot struggle when once caught, and the chances are that the animal will be killed outright by the operation of the auxiliary gripper member.

As many changes could .be-made in this construction withoutdeparting from the scope of the following claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying pdrawing', shall beinterpreted as illustrative normal tendency *of" said spring being to I swing said auXiliarymem'ber forwardly and rearwa'rdly. Thisspr-ing 37 'is, of'course; tensioned during the assembling operation of only and not in a-limiting. sense;

Having thus described my 111vent1on-,what

- I claim as new and desire to securebyLetters I bination', a base'plate provided with a pair of jaws, a' spring actuating member for operating saidjaws, and anxa-uxiliary gripping membermounted :upon said actuating member."

2;: In a on'a pair of jaws, a pivotallymounted spring actuating member for operating said aws, an

auxiliary gripping member" mounted upon:

bination, a :base plate provided with a pair of; pivotally mounted jaws, an actuating member pivotally mounted upon saidbase plate, springr means for operating said actuating member; anauxiliary grippingmember mounted upon: said actuating member, and. spring meanstfor operatingsaidauxiliary'grippingmember;

j a. In a trap of the class described, incombination; a base plate'provided wit-ha pair of pivotally mounted jaws, an actuating member 'pivota'llymounted upon said base plate, spring means for operating said actuating member' an auxiliary gripping member mounted upon-said actuatingrmember, and spring 'means for: operating said auxiliary gripping member,' said; auxiliary gripping member being 'movablewith and relative to said actuating member when the trap is sprung.

5'. Inatrapofithec-lass described,.in combinatioma base plate, a pair of jaws pivotallymounted'upon said base plate, a pivotally mounted" actuating member for said jaws mounted upon'said' base. plate, a spring for trap of theclass described, in com,- 1 bination, a base plate havingYmounted thereoperating said actuating member, an auxiliary gripping member pivotally mounted upon said actuating member, a spring for operating said auxiliary gripping member, means for setting saidjaws against the tension of their actuating spring, and means carried by the base plate for setting said auxiliary gripping member against the tension of its actuating spring.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

ALBERT E. KINSLEY. 

